What about complementary and alternative approaches ?
It is quite common for people with Ulcerative Colitis to turn to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) to help control symptoms. These include herbal, traditional Chinese or Ayurvedic medicine, homeopathy, acupuncture, aromatherapy and reflexology. However, there are few reliable scientific studies to
show the effectiveness of these therapies, which are generally unregulated. Sometimes people may
think such therapies work when possibly, given the unpredictable course of the condition, symptoms
have gone into remission coincidentally.
There have been several small scientific studies of CAM for Ulcerative Colitis, which have shown
some benefits in mild to moderate Ulcerative Colitis . These have included research trials of acupuncture, aloe vera, boswellia serrata, bovine colostrum enemas, curcumin (turmeric), nicotine patches, omega-3
fatty acids (such as fish oil), probiotics and wheatgrass juice. While these therapies may help to
improve Ulcerative Colitis , the trials have been limited and more evidence is needed about their effectiveness, so doctors do not usually recommend them.
There is also the issue of safety. Like all drugs, herbal medicines have the potential to be toxic and
may interact with other drugs. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has been concerned about the
extent of bad reactions to CAM, which have doubled over the past years. As a result the WHO has
published a new set of guidelines for national health authorities. The Guidelines provide tips on what
to look out for when using CAM and can be downloaded from:
www.who.int/medicines/library/trm/Consumer.pdf.
If you want to take a complementary or alternative product, it is best to talk to your doctor
beforehand. It is also important not to stop any medication without discussing it first with your doctor.
It is quite common for people with Ulcerative Colitis to turn to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) to help control symptoms. These include herbal, traditional Chinese or Ayurvedic medicine, homeopathy, acupuncture, aromatherapy and reflexology. However, there are few reliable scientific studies to
show the effectiveness of these therapies, which are generally unregulated. Sometimes people may
think such therapies work when possibly, given the unpredictable course of the condition, symptoms
have gone into remission coincidentally.
There have been several small scientific studies of CAM for Ulcerative Colitis, which have shown
some benefits in mild to moderate Ulcerative Colitis . These have included research trials of acupuncture, aloe vera, boswellia serrata, bovine colostrum enemas, curcumin (turmeric), nicotine patches, omega-3
fatty acids (such as fish oil), probiotics and wheatgrass juice. While these therapies may help to
improve Ulcerative Colitis , the trials have been limited and more evidence is needed about their effectiveness, so doctors do not usually recommend them.
There is also the issue of safety. Like all drugs, herbal medicines have the potential to be toxic and
may interact with other drugs. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has been concerned about the
extent of bad reactions to CAM, which have doubled over the past years. As a result the WHO has
published a new set of guidelines for national health authorities. The Guidelines provide tips on what
to look out for when using CAM and can be downloaded from:
www.who.int/medicines/library/trm/Consumer.pdf.
If you want to take a complementary or alternative product, it is best to talk to your doctor
beforehand. It is also important not to stop any medication without discussing it first with your doctor.
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